Couple's attempt to cross Lake Michigan ends

This photo provided by Brad Reed shows Sara, left, and Jeff Tow during training for their 50-mile swim across Lake Michigan on July 3, 2012, near Ludington, Mich. A family spokesman said the Grand Rapids, Mich., couple left Tuesday, from Two Rivers., and plan to swin to the Big Point Sable Lighthouse at Ludington State Park in West Michigan. They hope to complete the swim in 30 to 36 hours.

LUDINGTON, Mich. - Currents and exhaustion prevented a Michigan couple from finishing a planned swim across Lake Michigan to raise awareness about postpartum depression, according to a family spokesman.

Ryan Reed said in an email to The Associated Press that Sara and Jeff Tow were declared medically unable to continue the swim Wednesday. He said they were brought by boat to Ludington and taken to a hospital for evaluation.

"As soon as it became clear that the swimmers we're at risk, medically, we needed to train the entire crew's attention on their well-being," he said.

They were stable, he said, and the evaluation was a precaution.

The Grand Rapids-area couple left Tuesday morning from Two Rivers, Wis. They had planned to swim to the Big Point Sable Lighthouse at West Michigan's Ludington State Park, and estimated the swim at about 50 miles.

Strong currents slowed their progress, he said, and a GPS tracking device indicated they traveled more than 51 miles. Because of the currents, however, they still were about 8 miles away from their destination when the swim ended.

Both were members of Ohio University swim teams and say they suffered from postpartum depression following the births of their children, now 11 and 9.

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Couple's attempt to cross Lake Michigan ends

Currents and exhaustion prevented a Michigan couple from finishing a planned swim across Lake Michigan to raise awareness about postpartum depression, according to a family spokesman.

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